


Life

by DaniTsubasa



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Blood, Caretaking, Character Death, Conversations, Crying, F/M, Forehead Kisses, Gamora is sick, Hugs, Kissing, Love, Pain, Peter is worried about her, Sick Character, Suffering, Surprises, Tears, True Love, True Love's Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-10 11:26:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15948389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaniTsubasa/pseuds/DaniTsubasa
Summary: Even the high physical capacities of her species and her cybernetic enhancements weren't enough to save her from that fall. There was a lot of blood, and a lot of pain, Gamora would die before anyone could find her, and before she knew she wasn't the only thing Thanos had decided to sacrifice.





	Life

**Author's Note:**

> Guardians of the Galaxy and the Avengers and their characters don't belong to me, I leave the credits to Marvel.
> 
> This same story was posted by me in Nyah Fanfiction.
> 
> The cover fanart is by Jackson Caspersz. I saw this fanart soon after the movie, it impacted me a lot. I ran away now the name of who made the fanart of the end of the chapter, I'll put here as soon as I find out. Good reading! = D

                Gamora was paralyzed with the piercing pain that took her body when she finally hit the ground. She took a deep breath and tried to move, making the blood drip from her lips. She fell back to the floor and felt her trousers and the backs of her shirt and coat soaked with blood, she must have broken some bone and cut her skin there, she couldn't feel exactly where the blood came from. There was no more chance for her, with these injuries she was going to die before anybody found her.

                She thought again of her family, their funny and happy moments together, the young Groot, and how slowly he was once again the great tree they had known, how much Mantis was less timid and happier, Drax too, not forgetting, but being more at peace with his past, how Rocket had been struggling not to steal anyone and not cause problems, in Peter and all the love that was always in his eyes when he looked at her and the last time she had kissed him.

                The last four years had been something Gamora had never thought would live and the happiest of her life. They were fine, happy, no psychopath threatening to destroy the galaxy, and suspiciously almost no sign of Thanos. She and Peter had evolved in their relationship, it was four years after all. Now they slept in the same bedroom, and Gamora no longer cared to be seen singing or dancing with him. His friends had even witnessed some of their kisses and hugs, though Rock always complained about it by saying they were being a bad influence to Groot. So Peter would say no, they were both teaching how much love is beneficial, so Rock would tell them to go to their bedroom, and Drax would ask why Rock was placing them punishment for it, and the two of them started arguing as the couple laughed and Mantis and Groot only watched.

                They had also crossed other lines that Gamora preferred to keep only for herself and for when they were alone. Some that terrified her with traumas of the past, but which Peter had helped her to cross with so much love, care, and the purest respect for her that Gamora felt as if the past were just a distant nightmare. The zehoberi closed her eyes and cried. She cried for having her life and her family torn from her again, by the love she was missing from each of them, knowing that Peter would never see her again, make jokes, and show her that charming smile, that she could never kiss him again, hug him, or sleep cozy on his chest at night. All she wanted now was to have him with her, to be able to die securely in his embrace, though part of her heart screamed that she would hate that him for seeing it happen.

                Gamora felt another excruciating peak of pain spread from her stomach and closed her eyes harder. When the pain subsided, her body became heavy and the loss of blood began to affect her, it was difficult to breathe and she felt her head throb. Her brain began to develop theories of what had been damaged by the fall, but her consciousness was taken and she can't come to any conclusion.

******

                Peter kissed Gamora's forehead as the two woke up in the morning in their room in Wakanda. She hadn't woken up feeling well. The war was over and Thanos was dead, but they hadn't escaped unharmed. Many wounded were being treated, and for some reason Gamora wasn't well either, though her injuries were no more than superficial scratches that were already healing. Peter thought that perhaps her body was in shock at being the most affected by the soul stone, but it was impossible to be certain.

                “I can’t stand seeing you like this anymore,” he said.

                When the battle was over and all the cries and tears of reunion passed, T'Challa allowed them all to shelter in Wakanda until they recovered. All the Avengers and the Guardians were there. From the early hours of the last morning, when it was all over, Shuri and Mantis were working tirelessly to help the wounded. At one point Gamora was weak and Peter feared she might faint. Then she felt sick and she vomited as soon as they found a bathroom. Mantis told them that the blows and shock that the body suffered in battle could have done it with her, for nothing seemed to have been severely affected, although at the end of the battle she was clearly nervous, and they should be worried if that doesn't get better in the next few hours.

                “Let's find Shuri.”

                “I hurt myself a lot in Vormir,” she whispered, this subject hurt the two of them. “I wonder if any damage remained, even after the Avengers undid Thanos' deeds. Although it doesn't make sense.”

                “Where did you get hurt?” Peter felt his heart clench with his own question, but he needed to know.

                “Blood ran from my lips as I tried to move. Some bone must have pierced my lung or something like that. My back and my legs soaked with blood, but I fainted before I found out why. I felt a terrible pain before that.”

                Peter closed his eyes and buried his face in one of his hands for a few seconds, trying not to cry as when they had talked about it hours before. He took a deep breath and looked at her again.

                “Let's go see Shuri now. I just got you back and I don't want the slightest risk of losing you again.”

                “Peter, she needs sleep too.”

                “So unfortunately I'll have to wake her up.”

                Gamora slid her fingers down his face, staring at him deeply. Her fingers tangled with his ginger hair and she pulled him into a kiss. Peter sighed and hugged her firmly, bringing a hand to her brown hair and deepening the contact. The two stood with their eyes closed, their foreheads bound together for some time as they parted. Peter kissed her forehead and sat down, bringing her along. Neither of them really wanted to leave there, they could be hugged for the rest of their lives. But they got up and changed their clothes, heading down the hall. The place was less hectic than hours ago, many were asleep and already well.

                “Do you know how to get to the laboratory?” Gamora asked.

                “I haven't completely laid out the path yet, but we'll find it.”

                “Excuse me…”

                The two of them turned at the sound of Bruce Banner's voice.

                “I can help. I just left the lab. Your friend... Your sister... Who has antennas... Mantis,” he said as he approached the two. “She helped me a lot with my dilemmas with the Hulk. We were there while Shuri rested. She left before me, she must be in her bedroom. I can take you to the lab.”

                “Thank you, Bruce.”

                “We have to help each other after all this. Are you all right?”

                “I was very injured when Thanos took me. Even with the reversal of everything he did, maybe some damage has persisted, though it doesn't make sense.”

                “You said before that you have cybernetic alterations...”

                “Yes.”

                “Shuri will certainly be able to verify this,” he said when they finally arrived at the entrance of the place. “I leave you here. Good night, and I hope everything is fine.”

                “Good evening,” they answered together before entering the place hand in hand.

                Peter looked worriedly at his bride when her face showed signs of weakness and her eyes closed for a second.

                “Mora...?”

                “I feel bad. Like when I woke up.”

                Peter took her in his lap, and she decided not to protest as they walked the rest of the way like that. His hurried footsteps showing how scared he was. Shuri was looking at something on a projected screen in the air, but she turned to look at them as they entered and she closed her work.

                “What happened to her?” The princess asked indicating a table for Peter to lay Gamora.

                “Besides what happened earlier?” He started, laying her down carefully.”She woke up feeling sick a few minutes ago. And she continues the same way.”

                Shuri moved her hands above Gamora and again information appeared projected in blue. Most Peter couldn't understand, but Shuri analyzed everything with the greatest naturalness in the world.

                “Your kind is naturally stronger than many others that must exist around there, including humans, regardless of these cybernetic enhancements,” Shuri commented, glancing her briefly.

                “I was a kid when that monster took everything I had. I was never sure if this was mine or it was fault of the improvements made when I was almost killed once.”

                “Not totally. The enhancements have greatly increased your ability, but even without them it'd be scary for a human.”

                “So you really restrained yourself from killing me that day at Xandar?” Peter teased with a smile, caressing the top of her head.

                “Glad I did that,” Gamora smiled back.

                “I don't know what you're talking about, but I bet even as a child she could kick your ass if she wanted to,” Shuri chuckled. “But for the changes I found in your DNA, being half celestial, you might have survived.”

                This time the two women laughed. Before Peter could comment on the joke, Shuri spoke again.

                “You are practically immune to poisons, you can filter much more oxygen than someone normal and have a fast healing factor. Even if something was left after we had reversed everything he did, your body would have healed, even if it's only one day that it was over.”

                “What is the problem then?” Peter asked, with some urgency and apprehension in his voice, and concern overflowing in his green eyes.

                Shuri smiled as she looked at the data she had been analyzing for a few seconds, seconds agonizing for Peter. Gamora also watched the princess with concern, despite the serene smile on her face. Shuri closed the screen and looked at Peter.

                “You can rest easy. There's nothing wrong. Although it'll probably hurt you to know a thing.”

                “And what would it be?” He insisted.

                “Can you give me details of what happened in Vormir? How did you get hurt? In the morning you said you were killed there,” Shuri questioned Gamora.

                “Some bone must have pierced my lung, I remember getting blood out of my mouth when I tried to get up. Then my clothes flooded with blood and I couldn't figure out where it came from, because I didn't feel any other external injury. I felt a horrible pain before I lost consciousness, a pain inside.”

                “On here?” Shuri asked, resting her hand on the zehoberi's stomach.

                Gamora's eyes widened and she took a deep breath as the realization of what happened in Vormir finally struck her. Her eyes burned and filled with tears. Now she knew what the Red Skull was talking to Thanos low enough that she wouldn't hear before Thanos killed her, warning the titan, and yet he moved on. Now Gamora hated him even more, even if he was already dead. She had died pregnant, all that blood was an abortion. Gamora felt her heart clench and closed her eyes, letting the tears finally escape.

                “Are you saying what I think you are?” Peter asked perplexedly.

                Shuri nodded. The Earthman covered his lips with one hand briefly, his eyes too dampened and he faced Gamora, entwining his fingers with hers and bending to kiss her forehead and again stroking her hair.

                “Hey,” Shuri called softly with a smile.

                She opened another screen, this time vertically so both could see.

                “You're only two months pregnant. It's not possible see much yet.”

                They both looked fascinated at the image of what could be the correspondent of an ultrasound done in ordinary hospitals, but in a much better quality. They really couldn't see anything defined yet, just a bluer stain that should be their baby.

                “The zehoberi's developed capabilities and the enhancements also give your body a much greater protection against miscarriages and fetal traumas. If you were a normal human you could have lost him today, but he's fine. You may also be better able to resist the common effects of pregnancy or you'd already passed out since morning. However you were still one of the most affected with all this as you explained us, your body is reacting to stress, but still protected the baby. I'll help with that.”

                “Are you sure?” Peter asked.

                “Your son is fine, dad,” Shuri smiled at Peter.

                “With all this advanced technology you can know what it is? Even if he's so small?”

                “With two months is just a bet, but it can be a boy. Two more months and go you can be sure.”

                Both were out of reaction for a while, so Peter laughed and bent down to wipe the tears from the zehoberi, who also smiled, and kissed her. He took Gamora's hand while Shuri took care of her and gave them some guidance.

                “Your friend Mantis told me that she felt something strange about you, something she had never felt before and so she didn't know what it was, but that it wasn't affecting anything seriously in your body. I put the points together and I suspected it, but I couldn't be sure without seeing you, so I didn't draw conclusions. I intended to see you in the morning.”

                “Mantis lost everything she had like me when she was still a newborn. Her mother was killed and she doesn't even remember the fate of her planet. Her father raised her without her knowing anything, even that she was her daughter, she spent her whole life alone. It's been four years since that changed, but she still has a lot to know.”

                “I understand,” Shuri replied in a gentle tone of understanding. “You said earlier that you're brothers,” she looked briefly at Peter.

                “Yeah. That wretch also killed my mother. But it's all over now.”

                Shuri nodded, not wanting to prolong the subject that she knew that hurt them. She liked the Guardians from the moment she saw them. They were very funny and seemed reliable. Tony, Peter and Dr. Strange already knew them and with them around, the scary woman named Nebula seemed no longer a threat.

                “You should be fine from tomorrow onwards. And despite all the extra protection your body provides to the baby, don't go overboard unnecessarily.”

                “I'll take care of her,” Peter promised.

                “Thank you, Shuri.”

                The two exchanged a smile and Peter helped Gamora down from the table, but then pulled her off the ground with a hug and spinned with her when they laughed together and kissed for a long time, not caring that Shuri was seeing. The princess smiled and took care of other things in the laboratory.

                “We have a baby,” Peter whispered.

                “And he's alive,” Gamora replied softly, and none of them could stop smiling.

                Peter kissed her again and laid her down, entwining his fingers with hers and thanking Shuri once more. The three said goodbye, and they left the laboratory with Gamora already feeling better. They walked hand in hand through the almost empty palace, giggling like fools and exchanging a few kisses on the way. Only a few guards were on the way, until they faced Nebula shortly before the way to the bedrooms.

                “How can you?” She asked in her arrogant tone, but that both of them already knew it just hid what she was really feeling.

                “Good evening, Nebula,” Peter said, half ironic, half amused. “It would make it easy if you to tell which of us you're questioning and about what.”

                “You make her look like a human with a melted heart like you and now you get her pregnant. It seems that the fox jokes about what you do alone on that ship aren't for anything.”

                “Hey! I'm going to shave that raccoon...” Peter said in an angry whisper. “And I didn't do it myself!”

                Gamora laughed softly as they argued.

                “Since when do you know?” She asked her sister.

                “I realized the instant we met in the morning, but I thought you'd rather find out for yourself. I'd have told you earlier if I had found you when you were ill, but I was busy deciding a few things."

                “Nebula, I want the baby. Peter too. We'll be fine. Shuri told us it might be a boy.”

                Nebula was quiet, but the two managed to see a small smile on the corner of her lips for a brief second.

                “The other idiots are awake. Go to tell them,” she said, passing through them and leaving.

                The two of them stared at each other and Peter turned to her, joining their hands together and watching her with such affection that Gamora felt herself warm inside. The Terran kissed her long and slowly.

                “Thank you,” Peter murmured against her lips, his voice betraying the happiness he felt. “For coming back to me,” he said before kissing her again. “Thanks, Mora,” he pulled their hands together gently into Zehoberi's belly.

                “You came to get me,” she said softly, and smiled as they stared at each other. “Thank you...” another kiss. “Peter, thank you,” she kissed him again, lightly squeezing his hand resting on their baby.

                The Star Lord drew her by the waist to bring her closer and they took a deep breath before they pressed their lips together again, ignoring the sound of the door opening beside the bedroom door where they were.

                “But what little shame is that?! In the middle of the hall?!” Rocket's angry voice said, low, at least he respected the fact that everyone, or almost everyone, was sleeping. “The bedroom door is right behind you!”

                The two parted and opened their eyes, looking calmly at the raccoon, both smiling.

                “What is it? Did you drink?”

                By this time, Drax, Mantis, and Groot appeared behind him.

                “We have to talk,” Peter said.

                “About what were you doing? Why?” Drax asked.

                “I am Groot.”

                “I'm sure Shuri or Tony can fix it for you tomorrow, Groot,” Peter replied, talking about the broken video game.

                “What happened?” Mantis asked.

                “We have a new member. He’ll arrive in a few months.              “

                The four watched him without understanding.

                “You're getting married... Now we have a new member, all in one day...” Rock started. “Let's take one of these Avengers with us?”

                “A baby,” Peter said. “Gamora is expecting a baby,” he said, unable to hold back his smile. “She's been pregnant for two months.”

                “And he's fine,” the zehoberi finished.

                The four of them were speechless for a moment.

                “I am Grooot!!”

                “We're as happy as you,” Gamora replied smiling, resting on Peter's shoulder as he gripped her waist.

                “So was him what I felt?”

                “Yes, Mantis, what you felt was a life within another,” Peter replied, and his face became thoughtful. “Wow, that really sounds weird.”

                “He? Are you already sure it's a boy?” Drax asked.

                “It’s possible, but we're only going to be sure in two months,” Peter replied.

                “Are we going to have another happy little duck dancing around the ship? Miniature? Groot will love this.”

                The couple smiled at the raccoon's disguised demonstration joy.

                “We need to celebrate that!” Drax exclaimed and laughed.

                The other Guardians looked around in warning.

                “Everyone is asleep now, man, we can celebrate when dawn!” Peter complained in a low voice.

                The destroyer laughed again and gave them a big hug, to which they returned.

                “It's the perfect time to open those bottles we brought from the ship,” Drax told Rock.

                “Great!” The racoon answered and they both ran into the bedroom.

                “Did you bring drink over here?” Peter asked in surprise. “It doesn't matter, just don't get into trouble. We're in a palace, not in a bar! He appealed, though that was a despicable detail to Rock.”

                “I am Groot.”

                “How do you know Peter Parker is going to the balcony of the palace?”

                “I am Groot.”

                The remaining three Guardians looked back, but Spider-Man was ever gone.

                “All right, but come back soon and don't go out alone. I want you to send a message to our communicators when you get back,” Peter said, pulling one of the devices out of his pocket and handing it to the teenager.

                “And send one now to Rock and Drax to tell them where you're going,” Gamora said.

                “I am Groot,” he replied, and ran away while already contacting Rock and Drax.

                “Mantis,” Gamora called softly. “Do you want to feel him?”

                The girl looked at her sheepishly, and Gamora smiled at her, holding her hand and leading her to where the baby was. Mantis's antennae gleamed and for a moment her expression was curious, then by surprise, then she smiled.

                “You'll be able to familiarize yourself with this now and always know what it is,” Gamora said. “He'll start to move in a little more than a month, although it'll only be visible in three.”

                “So you think you'll be able to feel him before with your enhancements?” Peter asked “And have it only for you until five months? Envy,” he said with a smile.

                “I think so.”

                “Your body is stronger than it was this morning.”

                “Shuri helped me with that. And you too.”

                “She told us that you informed her of what happened and that she kind of set her up to take care of Gamora as soon as possible,” Peter said.

                “I'm very happy for you,” she said, still smiling and referring to the baby. “For all of us. I'm going to get some sleep now.”

                The three said goodbye and the couple returned to the bedroom. Sleep had disappeared in the midst of the joy of discovery, so the two just sat together in bed. Peter leaned back at the headboard and Gamora sat between his legs, being drawn to the Terran's chest and wrapping her hands around his shoulders.

                “My fiancee is expecting a baby,” he spoke still with the same silly grin on his face, kissing the top of her head.

                Gamora laughed.

                “Some day in your life before we met did you think about it?”

                “Sometimes, but I never thought it would happen,” he said. “But I was very lucky. The universe has given me the most beautiful woman there is, and after everything we've been trhough we have the most incredible reward we could have.”

                They couldn't help but think about what it would be like in different scenarios, without Thanos, or if they had discovered before Thanos killed her, or worse, if she was pregnant much longer when Thanos abducted her.

                “That monster... I'd kill him a thousand times if I could.”

                “Me too... But he's gone. Let's not contaminate our moment with this,” Gamora asked.

                Peter leaned over and kissed her.

                “Of course, my life...”

                Gamora laughed and stroked his face, realizing that stupid smile wouldn't leave his expression for centuries. And how happy she was! The loss of her parents had terrified her again ever since Thanos kidnapped her, and now she would be a mother, and her baby would have the most loving and protective father in the world.

                “I love you so much,” She stared at him deeply. “More than anything. You're going to be the most affectionate father in the galaxy, and that's perfect.”

                “And how do you know that?” He asked with a smile, kissing her cheek.

                “Because I'm going to marry the fondest man in the galaxy.”

                This time she got him. Peter laughed and hugged her tightly. His heart was always melted when it came to Gamora, she could leave him all day with a silly grin on his face just watching her. And the zehoberi had no idea how deeply she could reach his heart every time she showed her love for him. He always loved her so much, and she came to him, and she gave his life a new meaning, because she had brought the Guardians together and then Mantis, and now their son. The team had gathered and remained united because of Gamora, and now they were the strangest and most perfect family Peter could wish for.

                “The most loving mother in the galaxy, I'm sure, and the most loving wife in the galaxy. And the luckiest one, because she has Star Lord just for her.”

                Now Gamora laughed heartily.

                “Did you have to end like this?”

                “You drive me crazy, I can't find the right words. So just let me kiss you.”

                “Why are you still wasting time asking?” She replied, still stroking his face, feeling one of the Terran's hands caressing her belly.

                Peter opened another big smile, pulling her into his lap and joining their hands and lips.


End file.
